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Analyzing the Quality of Virtual Teams

Robert M. Verburg (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands), J. H. Erik Andriessen (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands) and Joris P.G. de Rooij (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Global market developments and the large-scale use of diverse applications in the area of information and communication technology (ICT) have been key factors in the emergence of distributed teams. Such teams are often referred to as virtual teams. Virtual teams enable collaboration between people across traditional boundaries and offer tremendous opportunities for various achievements. Businesses are no longer tied to a single time zone and are, for example, able to develop software around the 24-hour clock. The Internet—as the almost universal medium for interaction across boundaries—has created an infrastructure that enables many organizations to launch virtual teams. Hardly any technical obstacle for communication and collaboration across geographic boundaries remains, as these processes are supported by high-tech collaboration solutions such as groupware and other collaborative applications (e.g., videoconferencing, electronic blackboards). Virtual teams have a number of opportunities that are not found with co-located teams, such as involving rare expertise.